Categorical Cardiovascular Fellowship

Message from the DirectorDeborah Wolbrette, MD

We welcome your interest in the Cardiology training program at Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center and College of Medicine.

As an applicant for a position in a Cardiology Fellowship training program, you have many possible programs to consider. What is unique about our program?

The program is well rounded clinically with an excellent balance of invasive and noninvasive Cardiology; all the subspecialty areas in cardiology are represented and strong.

Opportunities are available for subspecialty training in electrophysiology and interventional Cardiology.

The training program includes a well established adult congenital heart disease program and an active heart transplantation program.

There is close interaction with vascular surgery, thoracic surgery, and interventional radiology. The Cardiology division is part of the Heart and Vascular Institute. Integration of some conferences and rotations provide important education in areas of cardiovascular pathophysiology not always covered in traditional Cardiology training programs.

The medical center has a Heart and Vascular Institute intensive care unit. Fellows gain experience with the use of LVADs and ECMO and caring for patients after cardiothoracic surgery.

The hospital, although located in a small community, is a quaternary care institute that cares for patients with a broad spectrum of pathology similar to that seen at any large city hospital. 1,000,000 populations within an hour ride of the medical center.

The program offers research training in a variety of areas.

The community is family-friendly with excellent schools. Travel from home to the hospital generally takes 10 to 15 minutes. It is an easy commute to Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and New York City. Harrisburg International Airport is within 15 minutes of the hospital.

Conferences form an important part of the Cardiovascular Fellowship training program and a series of case-based and didactic lectures have been assembled to meet the educational goals of the program. These include:

Proof of Internal Medicine Residency Completion (if not completed at time of application, must be submitted prior to start)

Copy of ECFMG Certificate (if applicable)

Three letters of recommendation (including one from Department Chair or Residency Director) addressed to the Program Director, uploaded by the referents

Each fellow spends two to three months, generally during the second or third year, participating in clinical or basic science research under the supervision of a faculty member actively involved in research endeavors. A series of research presentations by the cardiology researchers is made in the fall of the first year of Fellowship training, allowing the fellows to chose the mentor and type of research. It may be possible to devote additional time to research. Eligible fellows may elect to spend an entire year of research. Both formal and informal presentations will be given throughout the year at research meetings and the cardiology faculty research conference. This experience is designed to provide an introduction to clinical and basic science research techniques in cardiology.